Pencil sharpener blade changing means



April 2, 1963 A. H. KENT PENCIL SHARPENER BLADE CHANGING MEANS Filed July 19, 1960 INVEN TOR. AZ .4 EN x /vr UFTIdZFA/lf 6 1527? aza 5155:!

4 ffJi/Vfff United 3,983,691 PENI'JELL SHARPENER BLAEE CHANQLJG B/lEANS Allan H. Ken New York, N.Y., assigns: to Lander-s, Erary Geri; New Britain, Conn, a corporation of onnecticut Ffied .iuiy 39, E369, Ser. No. 43,345 it Ciaims. (Cl. 126-93) -his invention relates to power operated pencil sharpeners in general and more particularly to a construction thereof which enables the blade to readily be changed.

In my copending application Serial No. 833,065, filed August 11, 1959, now Patent No. 3,004,522, issued October 17, 1961, entitled Battery Operated Pencil Sharpener, there is disclosed a pencil sharpener which comprises a rotatable chip receiving receptacle having a removable cover. The sharpener head is mounted to the cover so that upon rotation of the receptacle the sharpener head also rotates and the blade thereof acts to sharpen a. pencil inserted in the sharpener head and maintained against rotation. The blade of the sharpener head is maintained in operative position by means of a small retaining screw.

it has been found that during the blade change operation this retaining screw, being of; small size, is awkward to handle, often goes astray and cannot be located. Further, the blade changing operation has proved even under ideal conditions to be a time consuming operation and an operation in which the hands of the person changing the blade will become dirty in that the blade being replaced has been subjected to powdered graphite.

In order to alleviate these undesirable conditions the subject invention provides a pencil sharpener construction wherein the blade may be automatically changed without the necessity of contacting same with the hands. This is accomplished by providing an injector mechanism including a magazine loaded with a stack of blades. The injector mechanism is removably mountable to the sharpener head and by means of a manually operable pusher, a new blade from the magazine is introduced to the sharpener head by the pusher with the new blade pushing the old blade out of the sharpener head through a hole in the receptacle cover. This automatic blade changing operation is made possible by retaining the blade in operative position by means of a resilient member.

in a pencil sharpener blade changing operation there are a number of obstacles to overcome which are not present in the automatic blade change as commonly done in the safety razor art. That is, in a safety razor the blade is introduced to its approximate operating position by the injector mechanism. Thereafter a biasing means moves the blade to its operative position with the ends of the cutting edge forced against suitable positioning lugs.

In a pencil sharpening device it is not possible to have a positioning lug at the end of the blade cutting edge which cuts the graphite. If a lug is present in this position a sharp point cannot be obtained. Because of.- this automatic blade changing mechanisms for a pencil sharpener must precisely position the blade.

Thus, special indexing means are provided to accurately position the blade changing device with respect to the sharpener head. The pusher is provided with a projection which overlaps a portion of the blade cutting edge. This projection in cooperation with a guide formation in the block of the sharpener head guides a new blade as it "is being introduced to the sharpener head and prevents movement thereof transverse to the required line of movement of the blade.

Accordingly, a primary object of the instant invention is to provide a pencil sharpener construction which permits automatic blade changing.

rates Eatent the giidd l Ratented Apr. 2, 1953 Another object is to provide a novel sharpener head assembly having means including a resilient member for removably retaining the sharpener blade.

Still another object is to provide a sharpener head assembly having indexing means to accurately position an automatic blade changing device.

A further object is to provide a novel automatic blade changing device for a pencil sharpener.

A still further object is to provide a blade changing device having novel means for positioning the device as well as novel means for guiding of the blades during delivery thereof.

These as well as other objects of the instant invention shall become readily apparent after reading the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

FEGURE 1 is a side elevation of a receptacle cover and sharpener head assembly mounted thereto.

FIGURE 2 is another side elevation of the mechanism of FiGURE 1 looking in the direction of arrows Z2 of FEGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a bot-tom View of the mechanism looking in the direction of arrows 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the mechanism looking in the direction of arrows 44 of FiGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of the sharpener head assembly.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the automatic blade changing device.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation ofi the blade changing device with portions thereof in cross-section.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective View of the pusher of the automatic blade changing device.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the blade changing device mounted to the sharpener head assembly showing the pusher during the blade changing operation.

Now referring to the figures, reference numeral 11 refers to a cover which is removably securable to a rotatable receptacle (not shown) by thread means 12 as described in the aforesaid application 833,065. Cover 11 is provided with a pencil receiving aperture 13 and an elongated blade changing slot 14 which communicates with aperture 13. Two screws 15, 16 passing through clearance holes in cover 11 are entered into threaded apertures 17, so, respectively, of block 19 to secure sharpener head assembly 24 to cover 11.

Block 19 includes a tapered guide 21 which is in alignment with pencil receiving aperture 13. Elongated blade 22 is disposed within depression 23 of block 19 with blade edge 24 abutting guide surface 25. The blade cutting edge 26 extends through slot 27 into tapered guide 21 so that cutting edge 26 is operatively positioned for the sharpening of a pencil. Pin 23 is disposed within blade indexing formation in the form of aperture 29' to maintain blade 22 in operative position.

Pin 28 projects from resilient sheet-like member 29 which is secured to block 19 by screws 30, 31. The threaded portions 32, 33 of screws 39, 31, respectively, pass through clearance holes 34, 35, respectively, in member 29 and are received by threaded apertures 36, 37, respectively, of block 19 with the enlarged shoulder portions 38, 39 of screws 39, 31, respectively, abutting member 29. As will be hereinafter explained, shoulder portions 33, 39 in cooperation with recess 40 in the bottom of block 19 accurately position automatic blade changing device 50 with respect to sharpener head assembly 25.

Device 59 comprises an elongated rectangular housing 51 having a magazine portion 52 wherein a stack of blades 53 are disposed with leaf spring 54 urging stack 53 against the top wall 55 of housing 51. Device 5% also includes manually operable pusher 56 which includes a first portion 57 disposed within housing 51 and a second portion 58 disposed externally of housing 51 with the two portions 57, 58 being interconnected by a narrow portion 59. Connecting portion 59 is disposed within elongated slot 60 in top surface 55 V Pusher 56 travels from the rear 61 to the front s; of housing 51 and delivers the top blade of stack 53 through an aperture (not shown) in the front 62 of housing 51. Cap 63,- secured to housing 51 at the rear thereof, limits rearward travel of'pusher '56 while the closed front end of slot 69 limits the forward travel of pusher 56.

Extending forwardly from housing 51 and ofiset therefrom is a first locator 65 in the form of an elongated member having a wide mouthed "slot '66 'into which the screw shoulders 38, 39 are inserted. Device 59 also includes stub locator 67 which extends forwardly from housing 51'and'is entered into recess '40 of block 19.

The blade changing operation is accomplished by mounting device 50 to sharpener head assembly by introducing locator 65 below the heads "72, 73 of screws 30, 31, respectively, so that shoulders 38, 39 are disposed withinslot 66. Locator 67 then enters recess and device '50 is accurately positioned for the blade changing operation. I V j, Pusher'56 is moved to the rear of housing 51 against cap 63. Spring 54 isthen effective to'force the top blade 75iof stack 53against the inside of top wall 51 so that blade 75 is in alignment with the portion 57 of p'usher 56 internal of housing 51. As pusher 56 is moved forwardly the forward edge 76 thereof engages the rear end of blade 75 and the pusher extension 77 is alongside the blade cutting edge at the rear thereof. The forward end of blade 75th en engages the'rear end of blade 22 and as blade 75 is moved forward blade'22 is forced to move through cover slot 14. I p p The resilient nature of the material comprising member 29 enables pin 28 to be" lifted out of blade aperture 29 to permit blade "22 to be displaced from its operative position. As blade 75 moves forward the edge thereof opposite its cutting edge'slides against the edge'25 of block depression 23, being heldther'e'a'ga'in'st through the action of pusher extension 77. When blade 75 has reached the operative position for the pencil sharpening operation pin 28 falls into indexing aperture 7910f blade 75 Device 75 is then dismounted from block'19 and cover- 11 is mounted to the rotatable receptacle for sharpening of a pencil. Y W Thus,-I have provided a novel pencil sharpener construction wherein the sharpener blade may pent/ menit be automatically'changed in a fast and convenient manner without the person changing the blade becoming'dir'ty.

i Although I have here described preferred embodiment of my novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art, and I therefore prefer to be limited,'not by the specific 'disclosure hereimbut only by the appending claims.

1. In a device of the class described the combination comprising a receptacle cover having a 'pe'nc'il receiving aperture, a sharpener head assembly having 'a tapered guide, said assembly includinga block' mounted to said cover with said guide inalignrnent with said aperture, said assembly also including a blade haying a cutting edge extending into said guide and means including 'a resilient member for removably retaining said blade mounted to said block; said cover including a slot aligned with said blade for passage of an entire blade therethrough whenv the blade is being changed.

2. In a device of the class described the combination comprising a receptacle cover having a'pencil receiving aperture, a sharpenerjhead assembly having'ia tapered guide, said assembly also including a block and'ablade havinga cutting edge extending into saidguide and means including a resilient member for removablyretaining said blade mounted to said blockpsaidgover including a slot 'alig'nedw'ith said blade for passage of a blade therethrough when the blade is being changed; said resilient member having a projection -biased toward said blade; said blade having an indexing formation to receive said projection and cooperate therewith to operatively posi: tion said blade with respect to said tapered guide.

3. In a device of the class described the combination 7 comprising a receptacle cover having a pencil receiving aperture, a sharpener head assembly having a tapered guide, said assembly also including a block and a blade having a cutting edge extending into said guide and means including a resilient member for removably retaining said blade mounted to said block; said cover including a slot aligned with said blade for passage of a blade therethrough 'When the blade is being changed; said resilient member having a projection biased toward said blade; said blade having an indexing formation to receive said projection and cooperate therewith to operative'ly position said blade with respect to said tapered guide; said block including a guide formation in juxtaposition with an'edge of said blade opposite said cutting edge for guiding said blade through 'said slot as another blade is being placed in operative-position. e

4. In a device of theclass described the combination comprising a receptacle cover having a pencil receiving aperture, a sharpener head assembly having a tapered guide, said assembly including a block mounted to said cover-with said guide in alignment with said aperture,

s'aid assembly also including a blade having a cutting edge extending into said guide and means including 'a resilient member for removably retaining said blade mounted to said block; said cover including a slot aligned withfsa'id blade for passage of a blade therethrough when the blade is beingchanged; said assembly including positioning means for receiving an automatic blade changing device.

5. In a device of the class described the combination 7 comprising a receptacle cover having a pencil receiving aperture, a sharpener head assembly having a tapered guide, said assembly also including a block and a blade having "a cutting edge extending into said guide and means including a resilient member for removably retaining said blade mounted to said block; said cover including a slot aligned with said blade for passage of a blade'therethrough when the blade is being changed; saidresilient member having a'projectionbiased toward said blade; said blade havingan indexing formation to receive said projection and cooperate therewith to operatively position said blade with respect to said tapered guide; said assembly'including positioning means for receiving anjautomatic blade changing device; said positioning meansineluding first-means which also secures said resilient member 'to saidblock.

'6. In a'device of the class described the combination com-prising a receptacle cover having a pencil receiving aperture, a sharpenerhe'ad assembly having a tapered guide, said assembly also including a block and'a blade having a cutting edge extending into said guide and means including a resilient member for removably retaining said blade mounted to said block; said cover including a slot aligned with said blade for passage of a blade therethrough when the blade is being changed; said resilient member havinga projection biased toward said' blade; said blade having an indexing formation to receive said projection and cooperate therewith to operati'vely position said blade with respect to said tapered guide;-said assembly including positioning means for receiving an automatic blade changing device; said positioning means includingfirst means which also secures said resilient member to"s aid block; said positioning means further including'a recess in said block. 7

7. In a device of the class described the combination comprising a receptacle cover having a-pen'cil receiving aperture, a sharpener head assembly having -a tapered guide, said assembly including a block mounted to said cover with said guide in alignment with said aperture,

said assembly also including a blade having a cutting edge extending into said guide and means including a resilient member for removably retaining said blade mounted to said block; said cover including a slot aligned with said blade for passage of a blade therethrough when the blade is being changed; an automatic blade changing device removably mounted to said assembly; said assembly including positioning means for said device.

8. In a device of the class described the combination comprising a receptacle cover having a pencil receiving aperture, a sharpener head assembly having a tapered guide, said assembly including a block mounted to said cover with said guide in alignment with said aperture, said assembly also including a blade having a cutting edge extending into said guide and means including a resilient member for removably retaining asid blade mounted to said block; said cover including a slot aligned with said blade for passage of a blade therethrough when the blade is being changed; an automatic blade changing device removably mounted to said assembly; said assembly including positioning means for said device; said blade changing device including a housing, a stack of blades disposed within said housing, means biasing said stack toward a first wall of said housing, a slidable member carried by said first Wall and manually operable to deliver said blades from said stack in a first direction one at a time through an opening in an end of said housing.

9. In a device of the class described the combination comprising a receptacle cover having a pencil receiving aperture, a sharpener head assembly having a tapered guide, said assembly including a block mounted to said cover with said guide in alignment with said aperture, said assembly also including a blade having a cutting edge extending into said guide and means including a resilient member for removably retaining said blade mounted to said block; said cover including a slot aligned with said blade for passage of a blade therethrough when the blade is being changed; an automatic blade changing device removably mounted to said assembly; said assembly including positioning means for said device; said positioning means including first means which also secures said resilient member to said block; said positioning means further including a recess in said block; said device including a first portion and a second portion both extending from said housing first end in said first direction; said first portion being in operative engagement with the first means of said positioning means and said second portion being entered into said block recess.

10. In a device of the class described the combination comprising a receptacle cover having a pencil receiving aperture, a sharpener head assembly having a tapered guide, said assembly including a block mounted to said cover with said guide in alignment with said aperture, said assembly also including a blade having a cutting edge extending into said guide and means including a resilient member for removably retaining said blade mounted to said block; said cover including a slot aligned with said blade for passage of a blade therethrough when the blade is being changed; an automatic blade changing device removably mounted to said assembly; said assembly including positioning means for said device; said positioning means including first means which also secures said resilient member to said block; said positioning means further including a recess in said block; said device including a first portion and a second portion both extending from said housing first end in said first direction; said first portion being in operative engagement with the first means of said positioning means and said second portion being entered into said block recess; said first portion including an elongated wide mouthed slot.

11. In a device of the class described the combination comprising a receptacle cover having a pencil receiving aperture, a sharpener head assembly having a tapered guide, said assembly including a block mounted to said cover with said guide in alignment with said aperture, said assembly also including a blade having a cutting edge extending into said guide and means including a resilient member for removably retaining said blade mounted to said block; said cover including a slot aligned with said blade for passage of a blade therethrough when the blade is being changed; an automatic blade changing device removably mounted to said assembly; said assembly including positioning means for said device; said blade changing device including a housing, a stack of blades disposed within said housing, means biasing said stack toward a first wall of said housing, a slideable member carried by said first wall and manually operable to deliver said blades from said stack in a first direction one at a time through an opening in an end of said housing; said slideable member including a. projection extending in said first direction and operatively positioned to overlap a portion of a blade cutting edge whereby the blades of the stack are delivered to said assembly in such a position that said resilient member projection engages the indexing formations of the blades as they are injected into operating position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,296,971 K-umagi Mar. 11, 1919 1,823,708 Straus Sept. 15, 1931 1,989,432 Stover Jan. 29, 1935 2,436,026 Steinbach Feb. 17, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 753,531 Great Britain July 25, 1956 557,520 Italy Feb. 18, 1957 

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE COVER HAVING A PENCIL RECEIVING APERTURE, A SHARPENER HEAD ASSEMBLY HAVING A TAPERED GUIDE, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A BLOCK MOUNTED TO SAID COVER WITH SAID GUIDE IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID APERTURE, SAID ASSEMBLY ALSO INCLUDING A BLADE HAVING A CUTTING 